Route: Latterbarrow
Area: Southern Lake District
Date of walk: 29th July 2015
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 5.3 miles
Ascent: 800 feet
Weather: Mostly sunny, very clear
Latterbarrow is one of the Outlying Fells of Lakeland classified by Wainwright in his book of that name, which was written ‘primarily for old age pensioners and others who can no longer climb high fells’. It’s worth the climb for anyone though, on account of the views from the top
I parked in the pretty village of Hawkshead, from where the obelisk on the top of Latterbarrow can clearly be seen, and walked out along an attractive path with more views of the fell ahead as I did so. I eventually joined the quiet and very narrow Loanthwaite Lane, and at the end of the lane started the climb up the gentle slopes of Latterbarrow
The views from the top, especially towards Windermere, were as good as I’d hoped for and after savouring these for a while I started the descent. The surroundings were unattractive at first, being through a wasteland of recently felled conifer plantations, but once I’d left this behind me the rest of the walk back to Hawkshead was delightful
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before I set off this morning
An hour or so later, at the other end of the lakes, St Michael and All Angels Church Hawkshead
From the churchyard I can clearly see the obelisk on top of Latterbarrow (‘cairn’ doesn’t do it justice, as will be seen)
Before I start out on the walk to Latterbarrow, I wander round the pretty streets of Hawkshead for a while…
Two good names but I prefer the original
Heading out of the village with Latterbarrow dead ahead
Looking back to Hawkshead
Loanthwaite Lane
Start of the gentle climb up to Latterbarrow
The Langdale Pikes in the distance
Another view back to Hawkshead
And again, from just below the top
The obelisk at the top of Latterbarrow
Windermere
Bonnie admires the view
Start of the descent
Walking through the felled woodland
Heading back to Hawkshead
Hawkshead and its church come into view
Hawkshead again
At this junction I rejoin the path back into the village
Back in Hawkshead, and the end of a lovely walk
and back home, more red squirrel action…
